SE 45 tube amp and tubes available
- Thread starter Mopardave
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
I LOVE #45 Tubes...
But after selling a ton of pairs I'm down to nuttin..
We had some DIY amps in the 90's that were parallel SE #45's Holy crap... They kicked butt on some Spika TC-50's.
Good times...
Buck
But after selling a ton of pairs I'm down to nuttin..
We had some DIY amps in the 90's that were parallel SE #45's Holy crap... They kicked butt on some Spika TC-50's.
Good times...
Buck
Over time I have purchased a number of old amps cheap, with 45 tubes. I had planned to use the chassis and build a few amps as mono blocks with the 45 tubes as drivers. Most likely would be PP as I don't have any real efficient speakers. Would hide the needed transformers under the old covers and chokes as well. Will see, lots of ideas, less time, and even less experience, but plenty of will.
Oliver Sayes 45 amps are very popular over at HiFiHaven.
hifihaven.org
Oliver Sayes Amplifier Owners Club
Joined the club today. Yamamoto 45 clone amp with DC filament supplies. TKD potentiometer and an option to use this amp as a preamp as well. Ironwood chassis and using Tamura/Tamradio output and power transformers. Will take a few shots of the insides tomorrow but for now I'm REALLY enjoying...
hifihaven.org
I own from Sunvalley, SV-S1616D [300B], SV-S1645 - [45], SV-310 Preamp, SV-EQ1616D Phono Amp and SV-Pre1616D Pre-Amp.
Sunvalley SV-S1645 - 45 Tube Amp, Victor Kung is the NA distributor for Sunvalley and ELEKIT
Sunvalley SV-S1645 - 45 Tube Amp - Available NOW
The composition of the vacuum tubes and unit:
12AT7 x1 or 12AX7
12AU7 X 2
45 X 2
274B/5U4G (tube rectifier only)
Output transformer Hashimoto H20-7U.
Choke and Power Transformer 115/230V custom made
Made and Assembled by Sunvalley Japan with 4 x VCAP ODAM (0.1 X 2 + 0.22 X 2)
Attachments
Jeff Korneff made a well-regarded 45 amp, I imagine there are a number of possibilities though few that were produced in significant numbers.
I have the board and most of the components to build a TSE II with 45s. Potentially the cheapest way to go if you can solder.
Tubelab SE | Tubelab That's a link to the old design, the new one has a long thread on diyaudio here. He hasn't written up the new board yet. I'm excited for this build!
Tubelab SE | Tubelab That's a link to the old design, the new one has a long thread on diyaudio here. He hasn't written up the new board yet. I'm excited for this build!
That looks lovely. Viktor makes good stuff. ;-)
zwuttoo
Super Member
Sonics are dependent on many factors. One thing certain in my mind, the original GLobe 45s (Globular Large 245/345...) sound better than the later ST (Shoulder Tubular) types, imho. The globes give a larger soundstage with punchy bass, delicious mids and highs. The ST types sound more "dry" in my systems. I crave detailed and sweet music...
I have not heard the EML or other modern variants...I also do crave the vintage 2A3 sound...
@Mopardave, Where to purchase, you ask ?
Right here, in the AK Barter Town section...For $25. Annually, you get free ads and support AK. Consider to become a "Subscriber."
There are some more online forums to check. For example, www.antiqueradios.com offers free ads, but there are only 10K members. www.usaudiomart.com has 250K members allegedly. A free want ad might be helpful.
Don't even think about epay. The globes are fragile and many vendors, there, don't seem to care.
Antique Radio clubs often have swap meets.
That is where I usually scored them in the past. The largest, stateside, Antique Radio & Vintage Electronics meet is in 6 weeks, in Kutztown, PA. Check the AK Events & Happenings section...
I wish I could help you, but I always need more GLobes. I run them hard and they are from 1932 or earlier, so fragility catches up to them...They are 90 years old !
I have not heard the EML or other modern variants...I also do crave the vintage 2A3 sound...
@Mopardave, Where to purchase, you ask ?
Right here, in the AK Barter Town section...For $25. Annually, you get free ads and support AK. Consider to become a "Subscriber."
There are some more online forums to check. For example, www.antiqueradios.com offers free ads, but there are only 10K members. www.usaudiomart.com has 250K members allegedly. A free want ad might be helpful.
Don't even think about epay. The globes are fragile and many vendors, there, don't seem to care.
Antique Radio clubs often have swap meets.
That is where I usually scored them in the past. The largest, stateside, Antique Radio & Vintage Electronics meet is in 6 weeks, in Kutztown, PA. Check the AK Events & Happenings section...
I wish I could help you, but I always need more GLobes. I run them hard and they are from 1932 or earlier, so fragility catches up to them...They are 90 years old !
The 45 was the most common output tube for radios in the early 1930s, so many were made for new production or replacement. But it was typically one of the first tubes to wear out - so radios went into the attic with weak or worn-out 45s. Once production of the 45 stopped, those spares began to dwindle and prices went up. The 80 rectifier was another early one to wear out, but production continued, as it was identical to the 5Y3 except for the base, so it could still be made, even with "GT" tubular glass.
I was given three rusted rusted radio chassis found in a barn; two had push-pull 45 outputs. Two were dead, one weak, one measured good. Most other tubes measured good.
I was given three rusted rusted radio chassis found in a barn; two had push-pull 45 outputs. Two were dead, one weak, one measured good. Most other tubes measured good.
I've got a box of early tubes, in there were probably a half dozen 45 tubes, some S and some ST. Thought I'd hit the jackpot, I think one was dead and the other were all very weak. I have a single radio that uses them, no idea what condition those are in. At some point it needs a trip back to the bench, probably will throw the two best ones I have in it and call it good enough.
I'd just make adapters and throw in a pair of 1619 but 2 amps of heater vs 1.5, and i don't know how much margin that 1929 power transformer has.
I'd just make adapters and throw in a pair of 1619 but 2 amps of heater vs 1.5, and i don't know how much margin that 1929 power transformer has.
Correct: eBay is not a good place to buy tubes unless you know tubes very well and know what you are buying. I personally have bought several hundred tubes on eBay over the years, almost all new in the box or clearly new old stock. I believe I have been "burned" only a couple of times.
One time I bought a bunch of "pulls" because I didn't follow my own protocol: don't buy tubes with the the type crossed out and a different type written on the box and never buy a tube when the box and tube do not match exactly e.g., RCA tube in a Sylvania box. I rarely buy tubes from dealers that sell to consumers and I don't generally buy tubes that are typical consumer tubes e.g., 12AX7 or 12AU7 nor have I ever bought a Chinese tube.
I have gotten excellent deals on 12BY7A (Techtronic matched pairs), 717A, 6J7G, 6F8G, HY69, D3a, E180F, 7788, EC86, EC8010 all NIB and very useful for audio. I try to buy tubes that come in multiple of the same type such as 4 Hytron 6SN7 all NIB, 12 Hytron HY69, 16 Mullard EC8010. That makes it much easier to match them.
So read you tube manuals before bed each night and you will be fine.
